Tag: Weekly Wrap-Up

Posted in Weekly Wrap-Up

The Sunday Scoop

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Not much to scoop today…After angsting for days, I finally chose a color for the kitchen cabinets…I forgot to get a true “before” picture –we’d already taken off the cabinet doors — but you get the drift: we’re entering into a blue phase. I’m taking the opportunity to clean up/organize all of the cabinets, too. It’s amazing how much crap we’ve stuffed up on the top shelves!

Casey’s got a shop set up in the diner and he just paints away while I write. It’s been a productive week for both of us. I am focused on my research and writing the ancestors and should be able to post a chapter in a couple of days. I’m planning two, possibly three, chapters after this and then my first draft will be finished! I would love to have first edit done before we head to London in June, but since it’s taken me three years to get this far, I wouldn’t be surprised if that goalpost gets moved.

Speaking of London, the trip is Definitely Back On. We’ll not be there for the Queen’s Birthday, Trooping the Colour and all that, but will arrive the week after. The Royal Ascot is taking place that week, where I hope to glimpse Her Majesty and other Royals. I’m back to planning it all out and the concierge at Queens Gate Hotel in Kensington is helping tremendously…getting excited…Long live our gracious Queen!

Scene from my weekly lunch with the Jr. girls…just before we went to the mall…

Peace

Posted in Random

The Sunday Scoop

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

IWe had our first snow of the year on Thursday! Accompanied by bitter cold, I was snug as a bug in a rug, watching the birds flock to the feeders.

Just the day before the temperatures dropped, we had to spray the house for fleas! Our venerable cat, Wink, had been declining ever since our return from Disney World in October. We noticed he was scratching and licking himself a lot, but mostly that he was just sleeping all the time and stalking me, meowing to be rubbed and petted constantly. I thought it might be dry skin and old age, but after a couple of weeks I got some flea bites on my ankles and raised the alarm. We were still unsure and a bit afraid to spray him when he was doing all that licking, so we got him a flea collar, but he continued to seem skinnier and more lethargic. He’s 17-years-old, so it’s easy to blame old age and we did. However, Casey finally got some flea bites and took matters to hand. We put the Winkster in the laundry room and bombed the whole house, then sprayed him down real good. He’s a new man and back into trouble, knocking over plants trying to get to the birds outside. I figure he’s got several more years in him…

I’m in a quandary regarding my Trip in June for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. I seriously don’t want to miss it, but if UK keeps its quarantine requirements in place, I don’t know. This trip has been cancelled and rescheduled three times since I originally booked it in 2019. All of the $$, both hotel and airline charges, have been credited to me, so the money is spent and I want to use it. I’m going to contact the hotel, Queens Gate in Kensington, and see what they recommend. I am so over the Covid — still wearing my mask, ready to be boosted prn, practice social distancing, but we have to learn to live with the fact that we might get sick. I suppose that if HM The Queen can show up for the Jubilee, then I definitely should, but quarantining for two days of a 5-day trip doesn’t sound fun.

Casey has an abscessed tooth and is as lazy as Wink right now. That’s rare, so I’m enjoying it…for a while. We’re starting Phase I of a kitchen remodel, so he needs to rest up and get back to it!!!

Hope your next week is a good one!

Peace

Posted in 2022, New Year Resolves

New Year Resolves 2022

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

The New Yorkers got caught in the omicron blizzard last week; first Emma, then Eliza, and of course Melissa, were sick so they weren’t able to visit with us. I was both concerned and disappointed, but everybody’s okay now, so it’s all good. We pulled down the Christmas decorations earlier than usual, cleaning and rearranging and I’ve felt very in sync and in tune with the New Year and moving forward, making changes, and all that. Yesterday I cooked up some Hoppin’ John with greens, so I know the year will be prosperous; we kissed at midnight New Year’s Eve (eastern time), so 2022 is going to be filled with love.

Back in 2018 I wrote about my attitude toward resolutions:

I’m a little skittish about making Resolutions…  I’ve done it before, but I’m just not a Resolute person.  I have only a passing understanding of Determination or what on earth a Firm Decision would be.  Same way with Goals…  The very word implies Effort and there is a whiff of competition that has never appealed to me.

Just like cooking the traditional lucky food, and kissing at midnight, I usually make a list on New Year Day.  In the past, The List was aimed at Self-Improvement, being healthy, changing my habits… It consisted of the usual stop smoking, stop drinking, lose weight, join a group, take a class… I was determined that I Would Become a Better Person!!!  January was always full of hope…  By February, I would be making excuses, and March always saw me in the line of shame to d/c my gym membership.

Now that I am an Old (wise) woman, I see the Year Ahead much differently– I look at it as an Adventure, Each Day a New Experience, Every moment present and aware.  So I’ll call it my Adventure List?  My Experience List?  My Learning List?  My Here’s What I Want to Do in 2018 List? Whatever you want to call it, here it is… (in no particular order and not necessarily complete)  

from “The Perfunctory New Year/New You Post, January 1, 2018”

Right Here Right Now, 4 years later, it’s slightly modified to reflect my growing acceptance of myself…

1. Enjoy Each Moment

2.  Write

3.  Travel

4.  Spend Time with Family

5.  Learn New Music

6.  Read

7.  Garden

8.  Spruce up the House  

I’m actually feeling excited and hopeful about starting fresh again, and I’m making plans to achieve all of the above with great gusto! A New Year that finds us still coping with the pandemic, our political divide, and freaking harry&meghan can sound a little daunting, but I like to look at it from the point of view of this poet:

The new year always brings us what we want

Simply by bringing us along—to see

A calendar with every day uncrossed,

A field of snow without a single footprint.

New Year’s
by Dana Gioia

May our footprints be gentle in 2022!

Peace

Posted in Christmas 2021, Christmas at Sonnystone 2017

Boxing Day

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

It’s the Second Day of Christmas and I’m expecting the delivery of my turtledoves anytime now. Boxing Day in the UK was originally about opening the alms boxes to give to the poor, but has devolved into a shopping day. It’s also St. Stephen’s Day in the Catholic church, the day that Good King Wenceslas looked out where the snow lay round about…

Last Monday was the anniversary of my daughter’s birth and we were in NYC to celebrate. After luncheon at The Community, we proceeded to the movie theatre to see “West Side Story”. (We Loved it, we cried, we marveled…you really should see it.) Then we trooped back to the apartment to sing and blow out candles; I’m Sure her wishes can come true.

We had a super time on Christmas Eve with the Jrs. After a good meal replete with mashed potatoes and gravy, we opened presents. Then it was off to the movie theatre to see “Encanto” which was encanting…(insert punny emoji)

We called the grandies on Christmas morning; beyond that it was just us, two old kids, exchanging presents, drifting through the day, content with grazing the leftovers, amicably sharing. The Day was balmy, so we walked through the woods, planning a pruning spree next month; walked around the gardens discussing plans for the 2022 upgrades; walked down to the campfire circle and envisioned a wall of forsythia between us and the neighbors’ pond… I hope your Christmas was just as heartwarming as ours…

We may or may not have visitors from Manhattan this week, depending on Covid testing. I think Emma may have gotten caught in the blizzard out there…

Peace

Posted in Christmas 2021

The Sunday Scoop

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We drove through the fog and rain from Eville to Nashville, past trees that had been broken like twigs by that massive tornado that had roared through Kentucky just a week before. We have always lived with the threat of tornadoes and have experienced a few, but a twister staying on the ground, a mile wide, for 227 miles is mind-boggling. There was literally no escape from it. It is such a sobering sight to see the damage those Big Winds do and my heart goes out to the survivors.

We arrived in NYC Thursday evening to weather that was spring-like and I was feeling so confident that I was “safe”, wearing my mask, thrice-vaccinated, and visiting a city that is Strict about such things. Already, though, the omicron was rearing its ugly head and Grandie Emma’s school had closed a day early to avoid large gatherings. Still, I was shocked, dismayed, and disappointed Friday afternoon when Radio City Music Hall cancelled All remaining performances — we were to attend 11am Saturday.

Still, we’re together, and we just pivoted…The Jose’ fam opened their presents on Saturday morning…

It’s Luggage!

On Saturday evening, Melissa, Emma, Eliza, and I drove out to Garden City on Long Island so they could attend an “extra” Irish Dance class to prepare them for the upcoming major competition, All-Ireland’s.

You’ve seen my girls in their wigs and tans, glittering dresses and sparkly headpieces, wearing their winning sashes and hoisting their trophies, but it’s rare (especially since Covid) to see how hard they work to get there. The school that is responsible for making the grandies into champions is Doherty-Petri School of Irish Dancing. Their teachers, Lisa and Karen Petri, know how to set a high bar and help — yes, even Push — these kids to their limits. Emma and Eliza started their Irish Dancing career at another school and have only been at this one for a year. During that time, they have blossomed and grown into World-class competitors. Due to Covid precautions, parents aren’t allowed to sit in on the classes, but these kind ladies made an exception for me. I love the Rockettes, but watching these kiddos sweat and kick was love exponential.

  • Eliza and her buddy, Nora
  • Emma and her teacher, Karen

The headlines have been screaming about a “blizzard” of omicron Co-V-19 and all my confidence has eroded into a sick feeling that there is really no end to this. I truly understand that eventually “everybody” will have contracted this virus and that anti-viral treatments are becoming quite plentiful (and no, I don’t mean worm medicine or malaria pills), but the media continues to stir up panic that is hard to avoid when you are in a place that is shutting down again… I guess I’ll double-mask on the trip home.

We’ll be back at Sonnystone on Tuesday and get the rest of the presents wrapped in preparation for Christmas Eve with the Jrs.

Peace

Posted in Christmastime 2021

The Sunday Scoop

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

It’s been a busy week here at Sonnystone Acres…

On Monday we drove over to New Harmony to say good-bye to a relic of my past, Main Cafe.

Back in the 1990s I worked for Visiting Nurse, providing in-home care to folks in Posey County, which includes New Harmony – also Mount Vernon, Solitude, Blairsville, Wadesville, Fairview, St. Philips, and all the farms in between. Whenever possible, I planned my day to include lunch at The Main. The place has always closed at 1pm, so I had to get there by 12:30, but as I got to know the owners and servers, they’d let me stay and do some of my paperwork while they cleaned up.

The place is a throwback to the olden days, both the building and the menu. Plate lunches and breakfast all day (back then). Real mashed potatoes with real gravy. Liver and onions on Tuesdays. Perfectly griddled grilled cheese sandwiches. Coffee from a Bunn percolator. Fresh pies. The owner was the cook and the servers were her sisters and her nieces. After 39 years, she’s now 80 and has sold the place; it will shut down for renovations on December 18. Her niece, Kim, and I had become good pals back in the 90s and I’ve always enjoyed seeing her when we’ve stopped in during New Harmony Events.

Sadly, the walls were already bare, the Rotary and Optimists Club banners having been moved to a new meeting place. The place is in dire need of repairs. The owner was not present and Kim said they were training a cook for the new owners who have promised to keep the menu the same, and she made sure he used enough butter, just like her Aunt had. Kim’s mom, now 73, was there to help wait tables.

The rest of the week whizzed by…got all my Christmas shopping done and then some. As is our tradition, Casey and I have agreed to not buy each other presents this year. He usually gets me something anyway, bringing it out at the last minute; I’m ready for him with 2 good surprises, though I’m pretty sure he suspects…

We baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday and Samantha was a Super Assistant in charge of handing me a rounded tablespoon of cookie dough. This was her first real chance to eat raw cookie dough, made from scratch, and I’m proud to have been her guide.

We’re leaving this Thursday for New York, flying out of Nashville to LaGuardia. After missing our trip last year, we’re Excited to be back at Radio City Music Hall for the Christmas Spectacular. We’ll have a fun-packed visit with the Jose’ Fam and I’ll share it with you as soon as I can.

Peace

Posted in Christmastime 2021

The Sunday Scoop

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

It’s been a busy week here at Sonnystone Acres with a lot of dr. appointments and that Birthday on Tuesday. Slowly but surely we brought down the Christmas decorations and spread them out around the house. The weather was perfect for hanging lights on Thursday and Friday and we added a new Star… Sorry, I haven’t gotten a picture yet, but it looks good.

Yesterday we held The Official Decorating-of-the-Tree with the Jr. girls

After the tree was finished, we headed Downtown to their Christmas celebration. Nothing going on there appealed to Olivia, so we dropped her off back at her house and it was just the three of us. We had free hot chocolate, a visit with Santa’s assistant, and met the Eville version of Anna and Elsa…Lots of Fun!

I have not bought a single present and currently have no idea what I should buy…As the kids get older I feel more and more like just giving them money. The little one definitely wants toys still, and even the older ones want to open some gifts, so I may do a mix-up of presents/cash. We’ll all be happy no matter what, I’m sure…

You know how it is — every year as soon as Thanksgiving leftovers have been eaten, we all say: I can’t believe it’s Christmastime already! Thus begins the buying and the baking, decking the halls and the fa-la-la-ing. We make our lists and check them twice, and I’d better get busy!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

Mid-Camp Note 8-1-2021

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We’ve been having a blast, you can be sure. The New Yorkers will be here one more week, so if you are a friend of mine or of Melissa, living near, give us a yell and come on by.

I’ll catch you up with a full report next week! For now, here’s us, sweaty but smiley, at Ellis Park last Friday…

Peace

Posted in Weekly Wrap-Up

Sunday Report 7-18-2021

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

This is your intrepid girl reporter with the Latest News from Sonnystone Acres…

Melissa was in a fender-bender, nobody hurt, Eliza slept through the scary part. Her car was totaled by the insurance company. Her visit with us was planned for around the 26th and she thinks she can buy a new car and stay on that same timeline, but I want her to just breathe. Of course, I want them here Now, but I want them here safely. That’s all I know for now, but that’s just a week away…

Meet Hopper, our resident bunny…

Hopper was a wee fella* when he presented in the veggie garden and destroyed a few green beans. We covered up all the holes he was using to get in, and he learned to be quite content around and in the Peace/Bird Garden, munching on leaves, clover. He’s rather tame and will often stay eating a couple of feet away from where we’re working or sitting as if he were invisible. We’ve seen neither hide nor hair of a mama or siblings, so I believe he was pretty smart to set up camp here near our house and away from the coyotes and hawks. I probably shouldn’t name him, but name or no name, I’ll be sad if something happens to him. *He may be a gal and that’s okay, too.

We’ve added on (again) to our veggie garden, moving the fence back about four feet and adding a gate. I’m full of ideas for a shade garden that lines a gravel path leading down to the firepit. I also potted up the parsley, sage, and rosemary to make room for the tentacles of the watermelons and cantaloupe.

We’ve got a windowsill full of tomatoes, a colander of green beans, and several bell peppers from The Edible Garden…

The Peace/Bird Garden…

Peace

Posted in All My Ancestors, Weekly Wrap-Up

Sunday Report 6-27-2021

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Behind the scenes of the scintillating life that I share with you on this blog is my Real Life. In my Real Life there are many relationships and each of them takes their turn at drama. Most of my family do Not read my blog, so I’m often tempted to spill the tea about them, but really I would rather just let it all be. However, Real Life intruded just last week when I delivered my Aunt Shirley’s ashes to her son Jeff’s house. I brought her ashes up from Florida last March and she’s been sitting on a shelf, surrounded by other family pictures. She’s been inspiring me — Shirley never was one to be quiet. — but it was time to move her along, getting her verry close to her final resting spot beside her Mom & Dad.

Aunt Shirley just before setting off on the last leg of her last trip to Grayville…

At any rate, I’ve had too many dramatic scenes played out for me this year, Distracting me from Ancestry research that I started Last Year and I was beginning to think I would Never Finish! I’m here to announce that I have, at last, added my great-grandmother’s family to my ancestry blog in a 3-part series published right Here: https://allmyancestry.wordpress.com/kinkade-mcwilliams-walker/

I still need to write a 4th chapter to tie up some loose ends, but I really need to move away from the family tree for the summer. Genealogy takes up so much time that I have to make it a seasonal hobby to make room for my gardening and travel, not to mention my Living Family!!

Here’s What’s Happening in the Gardens…

We decided to stake our zucchini this year…

…so far it’s working, but it isn’t helping them get pollinated so I need to attract bees. We’re looking at Bee Houses to attract Mason Bees, but it may be too late for this year…still studying. Any suggestions?

Ellis Park starts live racing Today…another reason I have to put away the genealogy. I’m skipping Opening Day, but I’ll be there In-Person on Thursday or Friday, or both…depends on the weather.

I love Summertime! Hope you’re enjoying!

Peace